


Fine Lines

by cyn_ful



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Elf, Elf/Human Relationship(s), F/M, M/M, creature - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-03
Updated: 2015-07-03
Packaged: 2018-04-07 10:24:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,313
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4259784
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cyn_ful/pseuds/cyn_ful
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Draco tries to deny his heritage.  Astoria will have none of it.  It is time for the two of them to start living their own lives.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Fine Lines

Draco waltzed through the crowd detesting every minute of it. Astoria knew that he hated hosting parties on the nights of the sacred holidays. He had been honest with her from the start, but she always seemed to find ways to torment him.

They had not married for love, but more for the heir that was needed. They both lived their own separate lives, except when it came time to host events at the manor. He had explained in detail when they married that he had a mate. He explained in length about his desire to not find his mate. He did not want to run the risk of finding the mate and having his life disrupted by the need to take care of this one specific person.

Draco shuddered at the thought. He hated knowing that he was not 100% pure wizard. His father had drilled that into his head. What his father had forgotten to mention was that somewhere along the line in their “pure” family, an elf had been introduced. Glacian Malfoy married into the family. Draco despised the man. One of the few portraits of him, hanging in a long forgotten corridor had explained in detail to Draco what was happening to him when he felt the changes coming on. Glacian had become a mentor to Draco.

Besides looking almost exactly like Glacian, Draco found out that they were more alike than he ever believed. He knew that his mate was a male, just like Glacian’s. He knew that because of this there was a chance that an elven pregnancy could take place. It was only passed down through the family lines if the mates had a child. Draco was determined that he would not give birth to a child that would have pointed ears. 

He stroked his ears as he looked at the crowd of people in his ballroom. He knew that he was the picture perfect elf and that no one would think twice of his costume. As tradition stated, he had to be his true form on the holidays. He fought it for years, but finally accepted it. No one had seen it that did not already know. Halloween was one of the safe times in which he knew that he could be seen in public without question.

He also knew that there were many more people here than he was comfortable with. If it had only been a gathering of his fellow Slytherins then he would have no problem. He knew that his mate had not been in the dungeons with him. He was always careful to wear gloves when meeting new people. As much as Glacian had told him that he would love his mate and want to do no more than take care of him, Draco did not want to lose control. He wanted to always have control and not want to lose it to some mysterious mate just because Fate decided he should be an elf.

To say that Glacian was disappointed was an understatement. Still, he talked to Draco whenever he came by the portrait. They still had talks about what it meant to be an elf. They discussed elven politics, which Draco would be allowed to partake in – if he took up his heritage completely. That meant finding his mate and accepting that he was not a wizard.

“Darling, I know it is a few more people than you really wanted here, but look at all the fun we can have tonight!”

“Astoria, darling, you know that I do not like large gatherings. Is this your way of making sure that you are released from our marriage contract? You want me to find him?” Draco glared at his wife. She knew the clause in the contract. Their marriage was null and void if Draco were to find his mate. Any children from the marriage would remain at the manor with him. 

She leaned into him. “I just feel that it is time that you start to live a little more. If you find him, then it's better for you. We are both free to live our lives. I shall continue to be supported in my current lifestyle and you will be happy.”

“Astoria.” Draco practically growled at her.

She kissed his cheek softly. “My love, I want you to be happy in all things. We both know I have my lover on the side, but is that fair to either of us? You need to live and not hide behind this mask that your father created for you. See if he is here and if he isn’t, then don’t worry about it.”

“Did you invite all of the wizards in Britain?”

“And some from France as well as Spain.” She smiled and glided away from him. 

“Damn woman.” Draco muttered. He walked over to the bar and grabbed the first drink that was set out, ignoring the protest of the person waiting for it. He sputtered as he turned to glare at the person next to him.

“You know, Malfoy, you could have waited another minute. Not many people want to drink butter beer at parties.”

“Potter, of course it would be you that would have something as plebian as butter beer at one of my parties. When do you plan to grow up and begin to drink like a man?” Draco glared at his nemesis.

The other man glared at him. “You know, typically the host provides nonalcoholic drinks as well as alcoholic ones. My wife happens to be pregnant with our third child now. Much as I would prefer a fire whisky, I am not drinking so she is not alone.”

“Oh ever the hero, Potter. Why not be a man and have a drink? I’m sure there are quite a few other expectant mothers roaming around in here. Your wife will not be alone, although it may be better for her.” Draco signaled to a house elf. “Please see that Mrs. Potter receives a butter beer post haste. Also please direct her to an area where there are other guests not drinking. She may have more fun.”

He turned and smirked at Potter. “Well? Anything else she may need? We must make sure she is taken care of so you can let loose for an evening.”

“I let loose enough. I plan on being here only long enough for Ginny to get bored, thank you.”

“Oh goodness, you are never leaving then! So how many brats does this make?”

Harry shook his head. “This will be our third and apparently a girl this time.”

“That should be nice. You will not have to try to have a football team like the rest of the Weasels.” Draco turned back to the bar tender. “I would like two of my normal.”

“Shouldn’t you be out mingling with your guests?” Harry turned to look out among the dancing bodies. There were historical faces and storybook characters. There were magical creatures and creatures from horror stories. “They look so inviting, especially that werewolf over there.” Harry pointed to a gentleman dressed as a werewolf wearing disco clothes.

“Please, Potter. This is my wife’s idea of a grand time. I had planned on spending the evening alone.”

Draco handed Potter a drink, his finger barely touching the others. “To Halloween, a most wonderful time to celebrate.”

“Or mourn.”

It was said so softly, Draco did not think he had heard it. He moved closer to the brunette. “That’s right, it is the anniversary.” That is when Draco did something out of character or at least to Potter anyway. “To James and Lily, may they rest always together.”

Their glasses clinked together and they drank. “Thanks, Malfoy. I think you are one of the few that remember or care.”

“Surely your wife would have understood you not wanting to go to a party tonight of all nights, especially to a place where your friends were tortured.”

Harry laughed. “No, she really doesn’t care. All she cares about is popping out Lily and then getting back to her team.”

“Ah, not a real homebody then. It’s a shame. Do you have help with the little sprogs when she is out of town?”

“It’s mostly me, but I can call a Weasley day or night and they will show up.” Harry smirked.

Draco looked around at the gathering and the noise and made a decision. “Potter, come with me.”

“Where?”

He turned his head and nodded towards the gardens. “I would like to be closer to nature right now and away from this noise. I have a feeling that you would prefer to escape this madness as well. Join me. I’m enjoying your conversation for once.”

“Gee, what an offer. So hard to pass up. I really must be getting back to Ginny.”

“Ah, forget the bint. Look, she has not even noticed that you did not bring her back the drink. She seems to be in her element and not looking forward to leaving any time soon.”

The other man gazed in the direction of his wife. She was surrounded by fellow teammates and fans. Her arms were waving wildly as she described one of the latest moves that she had read about. Harry had heard it many times before. He was sick of it. He never thought he would have gotten sick of talk about Quidditch. All he wanted was for his wife to settle down and raise their family together. “Yeah, let’s go.”

Draco placed his hand on the back of Harry without thinking and guided him out the French doors to the garden. The garden was lit with fairy lights twinkling in the darkness. Draco’s nerves had been shot from the nervousness of being around so many unknown people. He had just single-handedly escaped the soiree and with someone to pass the time away so he can say he was entertaining his guests.

What he did not understand was how his nerves were still on edge. He was breathing deeply once they got outside and into the gardens. He felt the earth beneath his feet and that usually settled all issues he had about crowds. This time it was different.

“Are you alright, Malfoy? You look a bit shaken.”

“I’m fine, Potter. I just do not like large crowds any more. There are still some people that would rather see me dead then having a lovely party.”

Harry laughed. “I’m sure you’re right about that one.”

The two wandered aimlessly through the gardens. They talked over general things such as how beautiful the roses were under the lights. They were safe topics to two people who never held a conversation longer than a few curses.

Harry stopped walking when he saw the lilies. He stooped down and began to finger the leaves of the gorgeous plant. “They are beautiful.”

“Yes, they are. I love being out here at night. I have spells cast on certain areas of the garden so that they bloom year round. The white lilies are beautiful by nightlight, but you need to see the darker purple ones. From what I have heard of your mom, that would be more fitting to her then the plain white ones. She was full of passion, wasn’t she?”

Harry looked up at the other man. “Yes, she was. She was a pistol. She stood up to my father many times protecting Snape.”

“Snape, really? I never knew.”

He nodded. “Yes, he loved her to the end. That is why he supported me. They were friends from before Hogwarts.” He laughed for a minute. “Just think I could have been a Snape. Do you think we would have been friends then?”

Draco’s eyes grew wider. Just the thought of Harry with Snape’s nose. “Oh, no! That would be horrible. Your messy hair is one thing, but I cannot picture you with his nose! Please don’t give me nightmares.”

Harry stood up and walked back to Draco. “You know, you are different tonight. I don’t know what it is.” He reached up and touched one of Draco’s ears timidly. “These are beautiful. They look so real.”

Draco’s mouth went dry. His equilibrium was shaken and his eyes widened. “No.” The word came out in a whisper. He felt his insides twisting. “It can’t be you.”

“Malfoy? What’s wrong?” Harry dropped his hand and stared at the other man. 

Draco felt as if he was going to hyperventilate. The one person he had hoped to avoid at all costs was the one he took for a walk in the gardens. Not once in all the years they were in school together had there ever been even a hint of this. Not unless you thought of the adage that there was a fine line between love and hate.

“Merlin’s balls.” He gasped. He snapped his finger and a house elf popped into existence. “Please alert Mrs. Malfoy that her plan has succeeded and please escort Mrs. Potter to a guest room when she is ready to retire.”

The house elf popped out and Harry was left standing staring at the man in front of him. “I assume I am going to find out why my wife is being offered a guest room.”

“Potter, we apparently have to have a talk.”

“I thought we were. That is until you began to freak out. I’m sorry I touched your ears. I didn’t know you made them extremely sensitive.”

Draco ran a hand through his hair, showing off said ear to perfection. “Well, for one thing, they are real ears, Harry. This is my true form.” He bit his lip, unable to even begin to fathom where he should even lead their conversation. He had never planned on finding his mate and now here he was – blazing emerald eyes and messy black hair. “Damn, there goes my life


End file.
